Boot and shoe upper



No Model.) I I r H. P. FAIR'PIELD.

"B001; andashoe Upper.

Nd. 240,585. Pat e n ted April 26, I881.

N. PETERS PHDYo-LITHOGRAFHER, WASWNGYON. D O.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HADLEY P. FAIRFIELD, OF WEST MEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

BOOT AND SHOE UPPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 240,585, dated April 26, 1881.

Application filed February 21, 1881. (No model.) i

To all whom may concern:

Be it known that I, HADLEY P. FAIRFIELD,

of West Medford, county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Uppers of Boots and Shoes, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification. This invention in boots and shoes has for its object to facilitate lasting the same and insure a better fit of the boot or shoe to the last.

The invention herein contained consists in a boot or shoe upper having its toe crimped to readily fit the toe of the last when the upper is being lasted, the edges of the front or vamp at such time being drawn over the inner solo on the said last. The vamp previously crim ped or formed'substantially into shape will readily adapt itself smoothly and closely to the toe of the last, thus facilitating the lasting operation by saving time which otherwise would be expended in stretching the upper on the last by pinchers or other pullers.

This invention is valuable as a preliminary to both hand and machine lasting.

Myinvention is shown as embodied in a shoe, but is obviously adapted to boots.

Figure 1 represents, in side elevation, a heavy shoe containing my invention, the upper being broken out to show the crimped or rounded toe. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of Fig. 1 on line a; m. Fig. 3 represents the toe of a crimped vamp as commonly made and Fig. 4 a form on which to crimp an upper in accordance with my invention, its toe being rounded.

The upper is composed of the quarter a,vamp or front I), and a suitable counter-stiffener held in place in the quarter by the line of stitches c, all"as usual. 1

To prepare a shoe, or it may be a boot, for lasting in accordance with my invention the vamp is crimped in a crimping-machine, or by hand, on a form, h, having its toe-part 2' rounded or shaped to give to the toe c of the upper substantially the shape of the toe of the last on which the vamp, after it is connected with the quarter, is to be lasted. The vamp, crimped as shown, may be readily fitted to the contour of the last across the toe and top thereof. The toe e of the upper is crimped or given definite shape down to such point on the upper as will coincide with the inner sole on the last, the said line being indicated at 2 3, leaving the edges 4 5 of the upper beyond the said line 2 3 to project above the bottom of the last and inner sole, After the upper has been crimped it is removed from the crimping-form, and is ready to pass to the lasters, who place the same on the lasting-lasts, together with inner soles, and by pinchers engage the edges 4 5 and lay or turn them down upon the inner soles, to which the said edges may be secured in any usual manner by tacks or pegs. This preliminary crimping of the shoe or boot upper along its top and toe, as shown, enables the boot or shoe to be quickly and readily lasted, insuring a boot or shoe of the desired shape, for the shape of the upper and its toe is clearly defined before it is lasted.

,1 designate as upper all that part of the shoe or boot above the sole.

Prior to this my invention I ,am not aware that the toe of an upper has ever been rounded or crimped, as shown in the drawings, to fit the rounded toe of a last. The toes of crimped uppers have usually been formed and left straight, as in Fig. 3, and when applied to the last have to be pulled very hard at the toe to fit and stretch the toe of the upper to the toe of the last, it being more or less prominent or convexed.

By first crimping or concavin g the inner portion of the toe of the upper, as at 6, over a form having a projection, t, I am enabled to readily fit the toe of the upper snugly to the toe of the last with but little if any pulling, thus saving time and labor.

I claim--- 1. As an improved article of manufacture, a shoe or boot upper having its toe crimped or rounded, as shown and described, to fit the last up to a line opposite the bottom of the last or inner sole to prepare the same to be subsequently accurately lasted with facility, substantially as described.

2. That improvement in the art or method of lasting shoes and boots which consists in first crimping the toe of the upper on a form to fit the shape of the last upon which the upper is to be placed when lasted, and then re- 1 In testimony whereofI have signed my name moving the said boot 0r shoe upper from the I to this specification in the presence of two sub- 10 said form and placing it together with its conscribing Witnesses.

nected quarter on a last, with an inner sole laid thereon, and turning down and over on HADLEY FAIRFIELD' and securing t0 the said inner sole the edges Witnesses: of the crimped shoe or boot upper and the G. W. GREGORY, quarter, substantially as described. I W. H. SIGSTON. 

